He's punky again, I am at work my roommate tried to give him simethicone which he refused I asked him to mix up some Critical Care which he ate some of. How does he get this far and then get sick? My poor little bunny.
Picking up problems
- Thread starter Zeroshero
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I hope he's feeling better soon. Let us know what the vet thinks.
Zero came home with a bag of fluids 25cc a day for 3 days, baytril, flagyl, cisapride, metacam, laxatone, and orders for simethicone 3 x daily. His stomach was distended and very hard. She said he probably would have died if I didn't follow the protocol you suggested with simethicone through the night. So thank you! I finally got all his meds in his mouth, he's a little grumpy boy.
We are not sure if it was bad hay I just bought or if he injested some carpet fibers while he was licking the floor. He's weird, he licks everything! I switched his hay to Oxbow and he's not too excited about it. He is eating critical care again because he has to eat something. It's a catch 22, but I am not thoroughly convinced that CC was the source of his problem. Thank you for the good thoughts I can't believe how heartbroken I was thinking he might not make it through this one.
We are not sure if it was bad hay I just bought or if he injested some carpet fibers while he was licking the floor. He's weird, he licks everything! I switched his hay to Oxbow and he's not too excited about it. He is eating critical care again because he has to eat something. It's a catch 22, but I am not thoroughly convinced that CC was the source of his problem. Thank you for the good thoughts I can't believe how heartbroken I was thinking he might not make it through this one.
He ate 10cc's of CC out of his bowl (I was upset about potentially having to force feed him)before I gave him pain meds. He was walking and stretching his belly by dragging his back feet. Now he is grazing on his hay and is a bit hyper, probably from all the sugars in the compounds and also finally not being in pain.
Wow, I didn't realize he had got so bad. I'm so glad he made it through. Poor little Zero, he's such a trooper 
That's a lot of meds. Hopefully he'll be a good boy and take them without too much fuss. It's hard to know what is causing all these problems with him. Normally I would suspect too many carbs, or a parasite or bacteria causing the bloating problem. But if the vet isn't finding anything in his fecals, and with him not doing better when the critical care is stopped, then I'm not quite sure what's going on with him. If the vet didn't do any tests today, maybe that's something you may want to get done sometime soon. Maybe a blood test and another fecal test. Maybe there is a rabbit specialist that your vet could consult with.
That's a lot of meds. Hopefully he'll be a good boy and take them without too much fuss. It's hard to know what is causing all these problems with him. Normally I would suspect too many carbs, or a parasite or bacteria causing the bloating problem. But if the vet isn't finding anything in his fecals, and with him not doing better when the critical care is stopped, then I'm not quite sure what's going on with him. If the vet didn't do any tests today, maybe that's something you may want to get done sometime soon. Maybe a blood test and another fecal test. Maybe there is a rabbit specialist that your vet could consult with.
This morning he has passed several ceccals "formed" but very jelly. He had a big pile of normal fecal pellets. Should I not give the Cisapride this morning? I don't want to create another issue. We couldn't do a fecal in the office he never gives us a sample. So she is treating based on her experience and what worked for him in the past. I had to decline the bloodwork last night because of finances. He just passed the $1000 mark in vet bills and he's only 11 weeks old. I am going to schedule bloodwork soon I just couldn't do it yesterday. Hopefully he can make it through this setback again without hospitalization.
Last night Zero wasn't very cooperative with his meds but is since past that thank goodness.
He just passed the $1000 mark in vet bills and he's only 11 weeks old. I am going to schedule bloodwork soon I just couldn't do it yesterday. Hopefully he can make it through this setback again without hospitalization. Last night Zero wasn't very cooperative with his meds but is since past that thank goodness.
Not sure about the cisapride. You could ask your vet about it. It's more likely that the antibiotics are causing the mushy cecals. You're giving bene bac? Maybe you could collect a fecal sample and bring it in to the vet.
I am giving him Benebac, I had him out running around in the bathroom all day, he required doses of simethicone every three hours all day. His tummy is finally quiet, but still feels distended . He's eating, drinking (Hydropet), pooping, and playing but his tummy and whole GI system feels "angry". I hope tomorrow there is some improvement. I ended up giving him the Cisapride after all. It is really difficult to give fluids to a bunny when you don't have a helper BTW! My poor little Z
I am so emotionally exhausted I don't even make sense. :surrender
. He's eating, drinking (Hydropet), pooping, and playing but his tummy and whole GI system feels "angry". I hope tomorrow there is some improvement. I ended up giving him the Cisapride after all. It is really difficult to give fluids to a bunny when you don't have a helper BTW! My poor little ZI am so emotionally exhausted I don't even make sense. :surrender
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On a positive note, he used his litter box to urinate all day today! I am glad because there was a lot of it. Number 2 is a different story, he just goes where he wants and I don't mind at all as long as he's pooping. I was so excited to see little fecal pellets strewn about I nearly cried.
I know that relief. After my bun had stasis, I was sooo happy to see any poop, and especially when they started being more normal.
I think you are doing a fantastic job with Zero. He's survived this long just because of all you've done for him. You just have a complicated case with him. And it can be stressful to deal with at times. I was so stressed with my Zeus and his stasis. I had to remind myself that I was doing my best with him, and tried to just focus on what I needed to do each day, with the meds and syringe feeding. I would think we had it kicked, then he would get it again, and again. It wasn't until I realized that it was the pellets causing the stasis to keep reoccurring and thus stopping feeding them, that he finally got better and hasn't had problems with stasis since. But it's a learning curve with rabbits, and it takes trial and error sometimes.
I came across this on a UK rabbit forum.
"One of Barney's issues is gas and the vet said his gut stimulant (metaclop) should help the gut push it through. One of the reasons it collects is because of his slow gut - food just sits there. Perhaps a gut stimulant could help your bun, if gas is an issue? Perhaps worth discussing with the vet after the outcome of the tests."
Maybe keeping Zero on a gut motility med, will help control the gas and bloating problems. Maybe he also needs a hay that has a lot more fiber, to keep his gut moving more quickly. I think the hays with the highest fiber would be straw, like oat, wheat, and barley straw(hopefully with all the grain sifted out and only stalks left). There would be no nutritional value, but he would be getting a ton of fiber. The other option would be to get a very mature grass hay that is mostly thick stems. You would need to make sure there weren't any seed heads though.
They really seem to have a better handle on rabbit health in the UK. I think because rabbits are a much more common pet over there, so there are more vets that specialize in rabbits. Maybe your vet could consult with a rabbit specialist in the UK. I know that Francis Harcourt Brown is considered, probably, the number one specialist with rabbits.
I came across this on a UK rabbit forum.
"One of Barney's issues is gas and the vet said his gut stimulant (metaclop) should help the gut push it through. One of the reasons it collects is because of his slow gut - food just sits there. Perhaps a gut stimulant could help your bun, if gas is an issue? Perhaps worth discussing with the vet after the outcome of the tests."
Maybe keeping Zero on a gut motility med, will help control the gas and bloating problems. Maybe he also needs a hay that has a lot more fiber, to keep his gut moving more quickly. I think the hays with the highest fiber would be straw, like oat, wheat, and barley straw(hopefully with all the grain sifted out and only stalks left). There would be no nutritional value, but he would be getting a ton of fiber. The other option would be to get a very mature grass hay that is mostly thick stems. You would need to make sure there weren't any seed heads though.
They really seem to have a better handle on rabbit health in the UK. I think because rabbits are a much more common pet over there, so there are more vets that specialize in rabbits. Maybe your vet could consult with a rabbit specialist in the UK. I know that Francis Harcourt Brown is considered, probably, the number one specialist with rabbits.
This is just such a stressful situation, and it's so discouraging. This morning while I was giving him his meds I started to look at it all a different way. It is actually bonding time for Z and I. He jumps on my lap, plays with the lids, picks up the bottles, this morning he was helping pull syringes out of his medicine bag and giving lots of kisses!
I read others comments regarding veterinary care for their buns in other country's and we are pretty fortunate here too. Being in the desert however it seems that most "Exotic" vets specialize in reptiles and treat rabbits. I have Dr K's (at Oxbow) email address He has been keeping up with Z's progress. I will email him and see what dietary suggestions he might have. Thanks for the pep talk, poor Zero he doesn't seem to be ready to give up yet all 700 grams of bunny that he is, I am just being a big baby. :bunnyheart
Z loves Baytril, he always goes for that bottle. He really is a good little patient.
I read others comments regarding veterinary care for their buns in other country's and we are pretty fortunate here too. Being in the desert however it seems that most "Exotic" vets specialize in reptiles and treat rabbits. I have Dr K's (at Oxbow) email address He has been keeping up with Z's progress. I will email him and see what dietary suggestions he might have. Thanks for the pep talk, poor Zero he doesn't seem to be ready to give up yet all 700 grams of bunny that he is, I am just being a big baby. :bunnyheart
Z loves Baytril, he always goes for that bottle. He really is a good little patient.
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Today Z showed some improvement, no hiccups, no labored breathing, and the gas seemed to be manageable as long as I kept to a four hour schedule for Simethicone. He was only drinking the Hydropet and no plain water, I discovered he prefers his water warm right now which makes sense if his tummy hurts. We didn't do fluids tonight because he drank so much oral electrolytes I am afraid to over do it. I hope I did not make another decision I am going to regret. I can live with baby steps right now as long as they are headed in the right direction. I will speak to the vet tomorrow regarding his condition this weekend.
sgbinky
Active Member
Great to hear good news!.. Keep them coming
I hope Zero is doing better and continuing to improve.
He has been up and down a bit since the last post but nothing as severe as hiccuping and having difficulty breathing. I am giving him simethicone four hours around the clock and I believe yesterday I stumbled on a contributing factor to his bloat. First let me preface this with, a little story.
Yesterday evening Zero was doing amazing, his tummy was not boated at all, he had minimal gas, and he was a little terror! I have never seen him binkie so much, he was literally running in circles. After he started to settle down I decided I was going to attempt to do his fluids without help. (The help I had couldnt restrain him and refused to stick him) Holding onto a tiny bunny that is ill and giving it fluids is much easier than a rambunctious youngster that is feeling good. Needless to say, he won! I decided to make sure I gave him some Hydropet instead of taking the chance of injuring him if he were to struggle again. Within minutes his stomach was hard, his entire abdomen filled with gas, and he became very depressed and laid in his hammock. I hope this is what the problem is and we can move forward.
He's still hangin in there. Today I'm not crying so it's been a good day so far. My horse on the other hand is sick of his attention going to Zero so I hope for both of their sakes we are moving up once again from here.
Yesterday evening Zero was doing amazing, his tummy was not boated at all, he had minimal gas, and he was a little terror! I have never seen him binkie so much, he was literally running in circles. After he started to settle down I decided I was going to attempt to do his fluids without help. (The help I had couldnt restrain him and refused to stick him) Holding onto a tiny bunny that is ill and giving it fluids is much easier than a rambunctious youngster that is feeling good. Needless to say, he won! I decided to make sure I gave him some Hydropet instead of taking the chance of injuring him if he were to struggle again. Within minutes his stomach was hard, his entire abdomen filled with gas, and he became very depressed and laid in his hammock. I hope this is what the problem is and we can move forward.
He's still hangin in there. Today I'm not crying so it's been a good day so far. My horse on the other hand is sick of his attention going to Zero so I hope for both of their sakes we are moving up once again from here.
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That sounds like a significant breakthrough. I wonder if it is the sugar in the hydropet, that caused the reaction. Or it could be the yeast extract. Have you noticed the same thing with him when you start to feed the critical care? There is yeast culture and sugar(molasses) in it as well.
If you find that the critical care is also causing problems, I've found a recovery mix that is just grass and herbs. You could also get a plain timothy hay pellet and blend that up. If you are thinking that it might be the sugars causing the issues, I know that there are certain grasses that are 'sweeter' than others, and he may do better on a less sweet and coarser grass.
Hopefully this was the hint that you needed to figure out what is causing his bloating issues.
If you find that the critical care is also causing problems, I've found a recovery mix that is just grass and herbs. You could also get a plain timothy hay pellet and blend that up. If you are thinking that it might be the sugars causing the issues, I know that there are certain grasses that are 'sweeter' than others, and he may do better on a less sweet and coarser grass.
Hopefully this was the hint that you needed to figure out what is causing his bloating issues.
Well, he is definitely not bloated tonight and his guts don't feel as hard. His poor stomach was so taught it felt like bony tissue. He has a little rumble in his tummy but it doesn't make me worry. He's had his Critical Care, his meds, benebac, and everything seems to be okay. He was hounding me for more food so now he is in the bag of Timothy hay grazing. He's such a little clown he loves to eat his hay buffet style. He ate lots of Timothy hay today I had his bowl over stuffed when I left this morning and there wasn't much left. In six days he will be 12 weeks old :dancingorig:
What other hays do you recommend? I was going to add oat hay once his GI settles down. Thank you so much for all of your support and advice, I am sure Zero would give you lots of bunny kisses if he could. :bunnyhug: seriously, I had to feed him so he'd quit licking he's a little snuggler. Did I mention how spoiled he is? Now I have to warm his filtered water for him to drink.
What other hays do you recommend? I was going to add oat hay once his GI settles down. Thank you so much for all of your support and advice, I am sure Zero would give you lots of bunny kisses if he could. :bunnyhug: seriously, I had to feed him so he'd quit licking he's a little snuggler. Did I mention how spoiled he is? Now I have to warm his filtered water for him to drink.
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